The Importance of our Walk

Text

Romans 6:1–4 KJV 1900

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Introduction

Background & Context

Paul is describing our Salvation by Faith

Romans 4:1–3 KJV 1900

What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Romans 4:1-4

Romans 4:23–25 KJV 1900

Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Paul was describing our peace with God

Romans 5:1 KJV 1900

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

We were enemies of God because of our sin:

Romans 5:10–11 KJV 1900

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Romans

Illustration: The World desires peace - This world is seeking for peace on many fronts-

Illustration: Famous Treaties throughout human history

Through religious activity

Through economic superiority and achievement

Through negotiation and treaty

But lasting peace can only come through Jesus Christ

1000’s of them have been signed

They brought only temporary peace and usually it was only for a certain region

Paul is describing the abundant grace of God

Romans 5:19–21 KJV 1900

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Transition

As Paul is describing the wonderful position we enjoy as Christians he transitions into a section on our responsibility as Christians to implement these truths into our life. Bible truth is meant to be lived and experienced not just known and understood.

Because of the position we stand in:

Justified by Faith

At Peace with God

Recipients of His abundant Grace

We have a responsibility to act on that or to live in such a way that what we know and what we are can be identified through the way we live! Paul is saying that we have the opportunity to walk with God because of what Christ has done for us.

I want us to notice 4 aspects of our walk with God

I. The Prescription of our Walk

Romans 6:4 KJV 1900

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

“...we also should walk in newness of life”

This is not something to be apprehended at some point in the future

It is a present reality- something we need to be “living” today

Paul basically says “because of this (All we are and have in Christ) - we should be this (walking in newness of life)”

We are: ..........

We Should: ...........

We Should:

We see the prescription of our walk, now let’s look at the ...

II. The Power for our walk

Romans 6:4 KJV 1900

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

“...like as Christ was raised up from the dead”

Just as Christ was raised from the dead we are to walk according to that power

We cannot live the Christian life - cannot have a walk with God in our own power

Many times we try to live the Christian life in the power of our flesh and all it does is frustrate us

A. The Source of our power

The promise

John 14:15–17 KJV 1900

If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

The present reality

Romans 8:9 KJV 1900

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

B. The Slight of our power

Have you ever tried to accomplish something for God without His power?

We slight God’s power because of sin (Joshua and the children of Israel at Ai - )

We slight God’s power because we simply fail to ask for it

James 4:2 KJV 1900

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

Ja 4:2

Illustration: Our Source of Power

A Bible college professor once described how, as a new missionary, he was assigned a car that would not start without a push. After pondering his problem, he devised a plan. He went to the school near his home, got permission to take some children out of class, and had them push his car off. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave the engine running. He used this ingenious procedure for two years.

Ill health forced the Jackson family to leave, and a new missionary came to that station. When Jackson proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started, the new man began looking under the hood. Before the explanation was complete, the new missionary interrupted, "Why, Dr. Jackson, I believe the only trouble is this loose cable." He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, pushed the switch, and to Jackson's astonishment, the engine roared to life. For two years needless trouble had become routine. The power was there all the time. Only a loose connection kept Jackson from putting that power to work.

Ephesians 1:19 KJV 1900

And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

C. The Scope of our power

Man’s power is so limited

Illustration: The Saturn B5 Rocket is the most powerful machine ever built by man. Consider this : The Saturn V rocket was 111 meters (363 feet) tall, about the height of a 36-story-tall building, and 18 meters (60 feet) taller than the Statue of Liberty. Fully fueled for liftoff, the Saturn V weighed 2.8 million kilograms (6.2 million pounds), the weight of about 400 elephants. The rocket generated 34.5 million newtons (7.6 million pounds) of thrust at launch, creating more power than 85 Hoover Dams. A car that gets 48 kilometers (30 miles) to the gallon could drive around the world around 800 times with the amount of fuel the Saturn V used for a lunar landing mission. It could launch about 118,000 kilograms (130 tons) into Earth orbit. That's about as much weight as 10 school buses. The Saturn V could launch about 43,500 kilograms (50 tons) to the moon. That's about the same as four school buses.

Christ’s Power is Unlimited

Ephesians 1:15–23 KJV 1900

Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

“exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe”

The prescription of our walk, the power for our walk....

III. The Purpose of our walk

Romans 6:10 KJV 1900

For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

“he liveth unto God”

Most people are seeking a purpose for their life

Christians do not need to look very far because we can find it clearly communicated for us in the pages of Scripture

Romans 14:7–8 KJV 1900

For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

Illustration: The Winter Olympics - The Purpose of the life of an Olympic Athlete

Watching the Olympics is something I truly enjoy. Mainly because I appreciate the skill and determination needed to compete at the highest levels of ones sport. Interviews with Athletes are always a part of the broadcasts and I am always amazed to listen to the difficulty and challenges overcome to finally make it to the Olympic games.

These athletes could never achieve such heights were they not motivated by a purpose!

Christians have a far higher and more significant purpose - to live unto God!

What does it mean to live unto God?

I think it simply means that the purpose of our life is in step with God’s purpose.

Quote:

"More men fail through lack of purpose than lack of talent."

Billy Sunday.

The prescription of our walk, the power for our walk, the purpose of our walk and finally a ....

IV. The Purity of our walk

Romans 6:11–14 KJV 1900

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Illustration: Definition Reckon - It is an accounting term- It is a method for maintaining accuracy- Many of us do not reconcile a checkbook anymore but it was a common practice at one time.

Paul is saying that we need to accurately reconcile the fact that we are dead to sin

Paul is saying that we need to accurately reconcile the fact that we are dead to sin

Illustration:

Conclusion